Construction Bidding System and Method

1. A construction bidding system comprising: a. a manager workstation; b. a general contractor workstation; c. a subcontractor workstation; d. at least one database upon which is stored a listing of general contractors, a listing of subcontractors, a listing of trade divisions and a listing of categories for each trade division; e. a server in communication with the manager, general contractor and subcontractor workstations and the at least one database; f. said server having software for a website whereby: i) a manager may select general contractors from the at least one database, input project information into the at least one database and send an invitation to bid to each of the selected general contractors via the manager workstation; ii) a general contractor may receive the invitation to bid from the manager, review the project information, select trade divisions and categories and subcontractors for the selected trade divisions and categories from the at least one database and send an invitation to bid to each of the selected subcontractors via the general contractor workstation; iii) a subcontractor may receive the invitation to bid from the general contractor and is presented with a website screen that includes fields generated by the software for materials unit pricing and quantity details corresponding to the trade division and categories selected for the subcontractor by the general contractor so that the subcontractor may input and submit bid information to the general contractor that must include the unit pricing and quantity details and is solely for the trade divisions and categories selected for the subcontractor by the general contractor using the subcontractor workstation; and iv) the general contractor may provide bid information to the manager, that must include the unit pricing and quantity details input by the subcontractor, using the general contractor workstation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the website also enables the subcontractor to review the project information and enter bid information into the database via the subcontractor workstation.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the website also enables the general contractor to select subcontractor bid information from the database and generate and deliver a general contractor bid notification to the manager via the general contractor workstation for review by the manager via the manager workstation.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the website also enables the subcontractor to send a notification to the general contractor that bid information has been entered.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is in communication with the manager, general contractor and subcontractor workstations via a network.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the network is the Internet.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one database includes a general contractor database upon which is stored the listing of general contractors and a subcontractor database upon which is stored the listing of subcontractors.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the at least one database includes a bid database, a project database and a materials database.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one database includes a project database and a bid database.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the invitation to bid is sent to the list of general contractors by e-mail.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the invitation to bid is sent to the list of subcontractors by e-mail.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one database includes a bid database and a materials database, where the materials database includes materials required for each of the trade divisions and categories and the materials database is adapted to be used by the subcontractor when entering bid information into the bid database.

13. A method for providing bid information from a general contractor and a subcontractor to a manager comprising the steps of: a. providing a computer system including a server having software for a website, at least one database upon which is stored a listing of general contractors, a listing of subcontractors, a listing of trade divisions and a listing of categories for each trade division, and manager, general contractor and subcontractor workstations where the at least one database communicates with the server and the server communicates with the workstations over a network; b. the manager entering project information into the at least one database via the manager workstation and website; c. the manager selecting general contractors from the at least one database via the manager workstation and website; d. the manager sending an invitation to bid to each of the selected general contractors via the manager workstation and website; e. a selected general contractor reviewing the project information via the general contractor workstation and website; f. the selected general contractor selecting trade divisions and categories from the at least one database via the general contractor workstation and website; g. the selected general contractor selecting subcontractors for the selected trade divisions and categories from the at least one database via the general contractor workstation and website; h. the general contractor sending an invitation to bid to each of the selected subcontractors via the general contractor workstation and website; i. the software generating and presenting a website screen to each selected subcontractor that includes fields for materials unit pricing and quantity details corresponding to the trade division and categories selected for the subcontractor by the general contractor; j. a selected subcontractor inputting bid information into the website screen that must include the unit pricing and quantity details and to provide bid information to the general contractor solely for the trade division and categories selected for the subcontractor by the general contractor via the subcontractor workstation and website; and k. the general contractor providing bid information to the manager, that must include the unit pricing and quantity details input by the subcontractor, via the general contractor workstation and website.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein step j. includes the steps of: i) the subcontractor reviewing the project information via the subcontractor workstation; and ii) entering bid information into the database via the subcontractor workstation.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one database includes a general contractor database upon which is stored the listing of general contractors, a subcontractor database upon which is stored the listing of subcontractors and a project database.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one database also includes a bid database.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein step j. includes the subcontractor entering the bid information into the bid database.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein step j. includes the step of the subcontractor sending a notification to the general contractor and step k. includes the step of the general contractor sending a notification to the manager.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the network is the Internet.